Race 2 - Day 6
Skipper Report
21 September
Helming has been a challenge for us with the Code 2 Spinnaker (and the Code 1 before it), especially earlier in the night before the moon has risen. Like others, Dan and I have spent a lot of time on deck and probably too much time on the helm, but sometimes it all got just a little too 'squirrelly' for comfort. However, I am really impressed with the progress made by several budding helms, many of them (but not exclusively) round the world crew, which is great for the boat.
On the domestic front, the food on board remains excellent. I still feel we could simplify the menu plan and ingredients for the bumpier legs, if only to make it easier for those on Galley Duty and for the Victualler, but I'm not going to complain when meal time brings such wonderful fare! Unfortunately, like others, I fear weight loss will be a distant ambition on this leg!
My view of the watch system, which remains two watches of ten, plus Dan and I, is working well. It's based on a tried and tested 4 - 4 - 4 - 6 - 6 and alternating (4 hrs on, then 4 off, etc). We've introduced a 'standby' option of one crew member on each watch, each day. This seems popular and breaks the routine. Coupled with the Mother Watch, which allows for a night's unbroken sleep, I think we have a way forward for future legs. Each crew has a day to undertake cleaning duties, basic engineering duties or galley duties too, under the instruction of the boat's Engineer, Paul Mascard, or Bosun, Paul Widdowson. A daily routine has quickly emerged.
On the race front, which is, after all, why we're here, we are glad to be out of our self-imposed exile west of the pack. After such a great line start, it's frustrating to have been almost all on our lonesome. However, we'd much rather that was achieved by us catching Seattle or Imagine Your Korea and not by being caught by Zhuhai and GoToBermuda! As they passed, we gybed to cover and, in the dead of night, managed to catch our new working sheet under the bowsprit. Much poking, sail cracking and muffled shouting later, we emerged victorious but 3 nautical miles behind the pair. We caught them overnight and now we are gybing across each other down the coast. I had a little chat with Wavy on handheld VHF as they came up about 250 metres ahead of us to avoid a great big blinking red and white flashing thing that we both decided needed to be avoided! At one point we could hear the crew on GoToBermuda chatting about how good looking the skipper on WTC Logistics was this evening... Sound carries on the water guys - just a heads up for future reference...
On another subject altogether, whilst in sunny Portimão, I met the lovely and ever sunny Chrissie, whom many of you will know and love - and probably admire too. Chrissie did the last race and was on a Level 3 training week that I taught last year. Chrissie has been diagnosed with Stage 4 metastasized cancer which at any age would be a hard pill to swallow but at Chrissie's tender years it is downright *&%^$ unfair. That said, the way Chrissie has dealt with this challenge has been amazing and truly inspirational.
Rather than feeling sorry for herself (which frankly I don't ever think was an option for this girl) she is fundraising under the name of Chrissie's Sunshine Appeal. It raises money for several worthwhile causes and so far she has generated over £20,000! If you get a chance to visit her website and help with the total I'm sure she'd be glad of the support.
Boat speed is currently 11.3 knots and winches clicking overtime above my head as I cling onto the nav seat and the keyboard clatters across the nav station. The Sahara is 50 nautical miles to the east, it's hot and I'm tired.
WTC Logistics - out.